In the mid-19th century, humans invented a method of capturing images. Since then, important historical events, like the Crimean War, American Civil War, Russian Revolution, etc., have been recorded for posterity. Of these first photographs always hold a special place. From the first image ever taken, the world’s first selfie to the first photograph on Instagram, these iconic first photographs have shaped how we see and understand the world. Here are 10 famous first photographs, each representing a unique historical moment.
1. World’s First Photograph

Joseph Nicéphore Niépce created the world’s first photograph, in 1826 or 1827. He called it “View from the Window at Le Gras.” Joseph used a camera obscure for this photograph. This photograph, he took from the window of Niépce’s estate in France. It is a heliograph. He exposed a polished pewter plate coated with bitumen of Judea to light. The exposure time for this photo was about eight hours, which resulted in a blurry, faint image. It is not just a snapshot of a scene. But a testament to the groundbreaking work that paved the way for modern photography.
People often regard this photograph as the starting point of photography. This square photograph depicts a simple scene. That is the wing of a house, a dovecote, and a barn roof. It showed the potential of capturing light-sensitive materials. They housed the original plate in the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas in Austin. It remains one of the most valuable artifacts in the history of photography.
2. World’s First Self-Portrait in Famous First Photographs

Robert Cornelius captured the first-ever self-portrait in 1839. He was an amateur photographer and chemist from Philadelphia. Cornelius used an early photographic process to take the image. He set up the camera, removed the lens cap, and sat still for several minutes. Cornelius posed in his yard, broodingly handsome with his collar upturned and his hair disheveled. “Taking a portrait is astounding in 1839,” said Rachel Wetzel of the Library’s Conservation Division. “Taking a self-portrait is a whole next level up from that. That portrait is incredibly significant.”
This photograph is important for its historical significance. It also marks the beginning of self-reflection in portraiture. Cornelius later wrote, “I have done it for the first time, and probably for the last.”
3. Oldest Photo of New York

An unknown photographer took the oldest known photograph of New York City in 1848. The picture shows a white house on a hill with a white picket fence. It is next to what is believed to be the old Bloomingdale Road, the continuation of Broadway, in what is now the Upper West Side.
Billy and Jennifer Frist of Nashville discovered this photo from a small auction in New England. “It’s a very unique, historically significant daguerreotype,” said Mr. Frist, who has been collecting photos since 1993. Bloomingdale Road, often referred to as “continuation of Broadway” in the city directories of the day, was one of two main roads that ran up and down the island in the 1700s. However, it does not show a bustling city scene. Far from it.
4. First Photograph of Moon in Famous First Photographs

English-born American John William Draper took the first photograph of the moon in 1840. Draper was a pioneer in photography and chemistry. He used a daguerreotype camera to capture the moon’s surface. This event marked the beginning of astronomical photography. Likely clicked on March 26, 1840, from the rooftop observatory at New York University.
Draper took a 20-minute long exposure using the daguerreotype process and a 5-inch reflecting telescope. Draper’s photograph showcased a celestial body. It demonstrated photography’s ability to capture more than just earthly subjects. However, Louis Dageurre, the inventor of the daguerreotype process, took the very first photo of the moon in 1839. But a fire destroyed it along with his studio.
5. First Photo of a President

In 1843, photographers captured the first photograph of a sitting U.S. president. The photo featured President John Quincy Adams. Though other presidents had been photographed before, this was the first of a sitting president. Philip Haas took the photograph as an ambrotype—a photo on glass.
This photograph is valuable in American politics and photography history. It represents a step forward in presidential portraiture, offering a more realistic depiction than painted portraits.
6. Oldest Photograph of the Sun in Famous First Photographs

French physicists Louis Fizeau (1819-1896) and Lion Foucault (1819-1868) took the first photograph of the sun in 1845. They used the daguerreotype process to capture an image of the sun’s rays. This photograph marked a breakthrough in both science and photography. The 5-inch image showed many details including a few sunspots.
Berkowski later made the first solar eclipse photograph on July 28, 1851, also using the daguerreotype process. It wasn’t just an experiment; it blended art and science. The daguerreotype is a direct-positive process. It creates a highly detailed image on a sheet of copper plated with a thin coat of silver without using a negative. His work showed how photography could document natural phenomena.
7. First Photo of a Tornado

F.N. Robinson took the first photo of a tornado on August 28, 1884. It depicts one of several strong tornados that formed in the Dakota Territory (now South Dakota) that day. Though widely circulated, the photo was later believed to be a likely fake. However, in 2016, researchers discovered the true first photograph of a tornado. George Hall, a photographer and meteorologist, captured the image in 1887.
Hall photographed the tornado during a violent storm in Kansas. This image showed photography’s ability to document extreme weather. The photo, though blurry, was a groundbreaking moment in weather documentation.
8. First Photograph of Earth from the Moon

Astronaut William Anders took the first photograph of Earth from the moon. It was on August 23, 1966, during the Apollo 8 mission. This historic photo showed Earth in space, with the lunar surface as a backdrop. Nature photographer Galen Rowell described it as “the most influential environmental photograph ever taken”. However, earlier in 1966 Lunar Orbiter 1 robotic probe took a crude black-and-white of the moon. It was the first American spacecraft to orbit the Moon
In the audio from the spacecraft, we hear the following from Anders. “Oh my God! Look at that picture over there! There’s the Earth coming up. Wow, that’s pretty”.The iconic “Earthrise” photo sparked environmental movements. It profoundly impacted humanity’s understanding of the planet’s fragility.
“The most influential environmental photograph ever taken”
Galen Rowell
9. Oldest Color Photograph

James Clerk Maxwell, a Scottish physicist, took the oldest surviving color photograph in 1861. Maxwell used additive color mixing to create the image. He took three separate black-and-white photos using red, green, and blue filters, and he projected them onto a screen.
The photo, which shows a ribbon, marked a major photographic breakthrough. It remains the first known color photograph in history.
10. First Photo on Instagram

Kevin Systrom, Instagram’s co-founder, posted the first photo on the platform in 2010. The image showed a dog with sandals. This simple photo launched a revolution in how people share moments globally.
Since then, Instagram has grown into one of the largest social media platforms. It has transformed how people document and share their lives digitally.
Conclusion
These first photographs represent key moments in photography’s development. They capture our world, advance science, and change how we share moments. Photography has evolved, influencing art, science, and how we connect globally. Culture in ways that were unimaginable when these first moments were captured.
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